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Arsenal target Najar not selected by Honduras for CONCACAF Gold Cup

DC United winger Andy Najar has been left out of the Honduras squad for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The reported Arsenal target chose to represent his country of birth last month but the loyalty he has shown to Los Catrachos has not been repaid by manager Luis Fernando Suarez.

Najar was named in the preliminary roster a few weeks ago and asked DC United to release him on May 26, three days prior to a friendly with El Salvador in Houston.

However, United asked Honduras for permission to retain Najar for MLS games at Portland on May 29 and Los Angeles on June 3 - three days before Honduras' Gold Cup opener vs. Guatemala in California - but the Honduran federation never responded to the Washington club.

"They can have Andy if they want him - it's a FIFA rule - but we requested him (for the May 29 game)," United General Manager Dave Kasper said.

"We didn't feel our request was out of line. We said, 'Look, our season is going on right now, we have some big games coming up, can he meet you in L.A.?' We sent two letters in writing [emails], we had two phone conversations - there was never a response.

"We had a good conversation with their secretary general, just saying you have a great player now, congratulations, we're going to be having these conversations a lot in the coming years, let's work together for the best interests of everyone. So it was a little puzzling when he came out in the media and said we didn't respond."